COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONNamed after a surly friend of the brewery, this one is smooth and creamy and includes English toasted wheat, roasted barley & oats. In many parts of the world, stout is an aphrodisiac.

Oatmeal stout is a stout with a proportion of oats added during the brewing process. During the medieval period in Europe, oats were a common ingredient in ale. However, despite some areas of Europe, such as Norway, still clinging to the use of oats in brewing until the early part of the 20th century, the practice had largely died out by the sixteenth century.

There was a revival of interest in using oats during the end of the nineteenth century, when restorative and nourishing beers, such as the later Milk stout, were popular, because of the association of porridge with health.

By the early 20th century these beers had all but disappeared. When Michael Jackson mentioned the defunct Eldrige Pope Oat Malt Stout in his 1977 book The World Guide to Beer, Oatmeal stout was no longer being made anywhere, but Charles Finkel, founder of Merchant du Vin, was curious enough to commission Samuel Smith to produce a version. Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout became the template for other breweries’ versions.

Oatmeal stouts usually do not specifically taste of oats. The smoothness of oatmeal stouts comes from the high content of proteins, lipids (includes fats and waxes), and gums imparted by the use of oats. The gums increase the viscosity and body adding to the sense of smoothness.

Named after a surly friend of our brewery, be sure to toast this resurected style next time you quaff it.

Poured on draft. Pours a darker brown with a khaki colored head of foam. Aroma is roasty and sweet with some Oreo characteristics. Semi creamy mouthfeel. Reminds me of dirt pie, the shit with oreos crumbled up in a vanilla pudding and chocolate pie crust. Nice stuff.

Draft in a sampler at Barley’s #1. Pours a cloudy, dark coffee brown color with a small beige head. Aroma of roasted malts, cream, chocolate, and toasted sugar. The flavor follows the same lines closely. Medium-bodied, with a malty, roasty mouthfeel and bitterness at the end. Medium carbonation. Solid oatmeal stout.

Draft@ Barleys Pours a deep dark brown with a decent tan head. This one laces excellently. Has a good roasted coffee aroma. Has a decent amount of carbination. The flavor was good. Has touches of chocolate and heartiness. Has a thick texture and a full body. Did not seem to be high ABV. Has a solid finish, and good aftertaste. Overall I liked this one a lot.

Tap @ Alehouse: Pours a very dark brown with lighter brown highlights, ring of tan head. The aroma has a nice roastiness to it and smells a bit like burnt sugar. Flavor is scalded milk, rich chocolate malts, some dark chocolate and chicory coffee. There is a little bit of toasted caramel malt in there as well. Finishes like a dark coffee roast. A bit bitter.

Objectively speaking:
A brown, sweet and globally nondescript stout saying soft in every fashion.
I like:
Can’t blame it of being agressive. Rather large initial head, though it quickly fades. Minimal coffee roastiness.
I dislike:
No filling oatmeal presence, light-bodied and rather watery. Sweet, almost sugary palate never gets sufficient roastiness to be balanced. Blatant lack of depth for a beer scoring above 3.5.

On tap at the Alehouse.Pours a gloomy black.with a small khaki head that laces on the edge of the glass nicely.The nose was a wonderful roastedness of coffee.The flavor was creamy with some burnt coffee and mild bitterness.Finished off creamy and bitter.

Opague with a tan creamy head and lace. Burnt coffee with a bit of chocolate. A medium bodied beer with good carbonation. Pretty solid body just off a tick on body and flavor. Close to being a damn fine beer.

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